President Nicos Anastasiades launched a fiery assault against UN special adviser Espen Barth Eide, accusing him of lying about the failure of the talks in Switzerland earlier this month, and announcing the publication of the minutes “to reveal who is telling the truth.”

“It is sad, really sad, people who supposedly express international law, as the UNSG special adviser, to lie in public in a bid to cover Ankara’s intransigence,” Anastasides said during a speech at an event organized by Kyrenia refugees to mark the anniversary of the Turkish invasion.

Eide said he attributed what happened to a “collective failure” and said that a deal could have been reached that all parties could have lived with.

“What they don’t know is that their minutes and ours … will be made public to reveal who is telling the truth,” Anastasiades said.

The special adviser met with Anastasiades in Nicosia earlier in the day.

Government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said the president had called Eide out on his comments.

“The President of the Republic has made a strict demarche to Mr Eide for what he has said publicly about the reasons for the negative result in Crans-Montana,” the spokesman said.

And, if there are continued reports “that do not correspond to reality there will be no other choice but to put on the public record what happened in Crans-Montana” the spokesman said.

He said this was not a threat. “It is a matter for the people of Cyprus to know exactly… and when I say the Cypriot people, I mean both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots… what exactly happened in Crans-Montana.”

The Greek Cypriot side says the talks failed due to Turkey’s refusal to give up guarantees and the right of intervention.

On comments by Eide that the deal could have included Turkey giving up its guarantee and right of intervention, Christodoulides said: “Woe betide any Cypriot politician who could have ended the Treaty of Guarantee and the intervention rights of Turkey and who would not accept such a settlement. I do not think anyone believes there could be any greater success if a Cypriot politician had such an outcome.”

Christodoulides said during the dinner in Crans-Montana, after Guterres raised his private conversation with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu suggesting that guarantees and intervention could be abolished from the first day, “there were many at dinner who listened to Mr Cavusoglu’s reaction that this could not be implemented from day one,” the spokesman said.

“Through the very specific and multiple questions he has posed Eide for every meeting which took place in Switzerland and the replies he has received, what we have said from the first day onward is confirmed. That is to say that the reason talks in Crans-Montana failed was Turkey’s persistence over guarantee rights, over its right of intervention in Cyprus and over a permanent presence of the Turkish army to continue,” he added.

Anastasiades had said that there had been a miscommunication between Guterres and Cavusoglu but Eide said in the interview on Saturday that the UN chief had not misunderstood.

Christodoulides said for things to move forward Turkey would have to accept the transformation of the Republic of Cyprus into what the secretary-general called a normal state “without occupation troops and without guarantees from any third country.”

At the moment, however, he added, “there is nothing”.

Asked whether Eide should step down, the spokesman said: “We expect to see some very specific developments in the next few days and will accordingly take a specific position,” he added.

In addition to Eide’s report to the Security Council on Crans-Montana, Unficyp’s mandate renewal comes up on Thursday.

Eide said after the meeting that the UN was still committed to supporting the talks.

He said that it was a very complex situation, adding that a lot of things were achieved in Crans-Montana “but we were unable able to stitch it together to a final deal”.

“That was a blow I think to everybody involved, and the question is what we can do now.”

Eide said that since Crans-Montana, he had briefed the UN Security Council and had “deep discussions” with Guterres about the way ahead.

“And now I am here partly to share some of my impressions with the leaders from the New York meetings but more importantly to listen to them and to hear from Mr Anastasiades and Mr Akinci where they think we stand, where the process is and frankly what they would like us to do,” he said.

Eide said he had a very open and very constructive conversation with Anastasiades.

Pressed again on what exactly went down with Turkey and the guarantees at the Swiss talks, Eide said: “Turkey has been clear all the time that they cannot accept both zero guarantees and zero troops, that was their line throughout the conference. A lot of things happened during the conference. We were working towards an outcome on security – I mean the UNSG and myself – that we think could have worked at the end of the day as part of a final package. That would then lead to the end of guarantees and intervention rights, but it would keep some troops at least for some time, and where we were not ready to agree was on the issue of the longevity of those troops.”

He repeated what he had said in a controversial interview with CNA published on Saturday that many of the conversations were confidential “and hence it is difficult to say much more than I already said”.

He added that his main focus now was “where we go from here”.

“If we were able to arrive at a total package as the SG and I had hoped, some of these issues would have been cleared. But there were some outstanding issues. These discussions were deeply confidential. The parties had their official positions which were proposed and they also shared all the ideas with us confidentially and we have to keep them confidential,” he said.

Asked again why Guterres had called a halt to the conference if a breakthrough was that close, Eide said the UN’s doors would never be closed as long as the sides wanted them to continue to facilitate but this would require all involved parties to agree under what basis to negotiate.

He said some ideas had been developed based on six main questions, two on security and guarantees and four on internal issues.

“It remains my conviction that if we had been able to solve all six of them in one go we would have at this time have the strategic breakthrough. I am not giving up, the UN is not giving up, but at the same time I do not want to create any false illusions. I want to be honest about the fact that all of us recognise that the situation after Crans-Montana is difficult and I simply do not want to make too many observations on my own, before I have heard both leaders and what they have to say,” he said.

But there was as of now no concrete ideas, and it was not up to the UN to decide given that the process must remain leader-led. “We facilitate and they negotiate.” To continue, the UN needed a shared desire from the two sides.

Asked about his personal position as envoy, Eide said it was known for some time that he would be participating in elections in his native Norway and would be leaving in any case.

“What I am doing now is to try to see what is the best advice I can give him [Guterres] after Crans-Montana, after seeing the two leaders, I am his special adviser, and we want to know if there is a process, on what terms this process can take place,” he said.

Eide met with Akinci in the afternoon.

Following the meeting, he said he briefed the UN Security Council on all the developments from the Geneva meeting onwards, including the impasse on the island for a few months.

“One of my points there was that while we were inching closer on substance, we also saw a gradual deterioration of trust,” he said. “I am not only speaking of trust at the highest level but also the kind of an inter-communal trust; The people seemed to be less prepared rather than more prepared.”

“I think in hindsight one of the things we need to reflect about is whether the communities were sufficiently engaged in the process, whether the communities were sufficiently informed and motivated for this. I don’t know, but that I think is for historians to discuss,” he pointed out.

Why is Nik so worried about 650 Turkish troops, When there will be 850 Greek troops plus the new professional army of the ROC. Even if all the Turkish troops left. How far away does he think they will be. Someone should tell him this is the real world. As much as we may dislike and distrust Erdegon and Turkey. neither is going away anytime soon, Turkey will always be just 40 miles away. nothing can ever change that fact. So we have to learn to live together for the good of everyone on the island. And if he thinks he can keep blaming the UN for his total lack of leadership, he is sadly mistaken. Because the rest of the world are sick and fed up of our nothing is ever good enough for us attitude.

I’llbeback

My thoughts exactly, you are 100% correct. It seems to me to be more of a GC/Hellenic pride thing than anything else. Unless of course he really doesnt want a solution to keep his party, electorate and friends happy due to their vested interests in keeping going the status quo.

phyper1

‘Why is Nik so worried about 650 Turkish troops, When there will be 850
Greek troops plus the new professional army of the ROC. Even if all the
Turkish troops left. How far away does he think they will be…..’. So, if they are not going to be so far, as you are saying, why not remove ALL the army, so as to be NO OCCUPATION, even by 650 soldiers?Or is the reason of leaving 650 behind different, such as keeping a permanent base in Cyprus?

Benny bumble

I agree that it would be better if all troops left, be they Greek or Turkish. But 650 must be far better than 40,000.

EGB

650 and 900 would not represent a military presence in real terms. How many Americans are in the UK in US bases? How many UK soldiers are in Germany in UK bases? I have no idea what the answer to those questions is but I suspect there are quite a few in both cases and nobody worries much about it.

Pc

I get what you mean to say, but your example is not quite true. UK troops left Germany two decades ago, and a similar thing applies to US troops in the UK.

But let’s get to your point: first of all, allthough the number of 1,500 seems low, it is actually a force equal to 12% of the National Guard. Secondly, the communities where these troops would be housed could be impacted quite significantly. A village with a base next to it would see a significant burden on its resources occur. Thirdly, there are protests aplenty in Japan, the Philipines and elsewhere against foreign military bases. That proves my second point that there is a significant impact.

Brazen

There are around 5000 British troops currently in Germany!

phyper1

On NATO Service!

Gregos Winston

They’re not there as occupying forces and they don’t have the right to invade and meddle in German politics.

EGB

I admit I’m not sure where foreign troops are based these days. You say 1500 is 12% of the (GC) National Guard but that’s a combined Greek and Turkish statistic so a bit misleading, 60% of that 12% would be Greek soldiers (at a guess, I’m not getting a calculator out for this point). On the point of resources, even if all 650/900 were in the same place all of the time they would probably contribute to the local economy more than they would draw on resources.

Pc

The point is that although 1500 sounds small, it is actually quite sizable and therefore visible.

The contributions against the local economy are doubtful. These contingents will be supplied from their home countries mostly. And many of the benefits will accrue to the central governments, while the burdens will fall completely on the local population. Ask the Germans living next to allied bases and ask the people in Okinawa and the Philipines how they feel about these foreign troops on their soil. They are decidedly negative about it.

EGB

If the Greek Cypriots were up in arms about 900 Greek soldiers being based in Cyprus I would warm to what you are saying but this isn’t how it is. I don’t look at the replies to me for days and I don’t think we’re going to see eye to eye so best leave it.

phyper1

Not better. If you give permission for even ONE soldier, it is legally still an occupation Force. Why don’t we agree that Turkey, and its proximity to Cyprus, does not, in this modern times, need to be in Cyprus, for any Military action it might decide against Cyprus. From Cyprus, one can see the Turkish mountains. On a clear day you can hear the cocks call their hens!! We suspect they want a base in Cyprus in perpetuity. All Forces out. We should tell them to f off!

Benny bumble

good luck with your solution. if nothing else we can still listen to the sheep bleating,

EGB

Maximum 650 Turkish troops and 900 Greek troops would hardly constitute occupation. The zero option is an ideal but would that mean not one Greek soldier could ever set foot in Cyprus for training purposes for example?

Pc

Greek Cypriots need to accept security forces from the country that instigated the coupe and the country that occupied their country for 45 years? Interesting perspective.

Gregos Winston

Exactly. It’s zero troops from Greece & Turkey, or no solution at all.

Gregos Winston

Even if it’s one Turkish troop or 1 Greek Troop, it’s a symbol that they still have authority over the island, so yes, it’s very relevant. It’s not a simple mathemetical calculation. You need to look beyond the numbers to see the true intentions.

mike nico

you answered your own rant, “Turkey will always be just 40 miles away. ” why do you need Turkeys troops on the Island, their is enough Anatolians and settlers to create a home guard.

Stop blaming Greeks, you all seem to forget that there is a foreign army occupying Cyprus.

Stop choosing the bits you want to rant

Benny bumble

Mike, everyone is entitled to there opinion. its called free speech. but you seem to think that anyone who does,nt agree with your view is ranting. All I was trying to do was point out the blindingly obvious. I would also prefer all the Turkish troops to leave. But surely 650 is a lot better than 40,000. And we still have 850 Greek troops plus the national guard, and for now the UN peace keepers, so wheres the problem.

Pc

The problem is that you are asking Greek Cypriots to hand over their security to their nemisis. It also gives an unjust feeling that TC security is considered all the time, but GC security is not. Don’t forget that more GCs died in the period between 1963 and 1974 than TCs. For GCs, Turkey cannot be an honest broker so they should be removed from the security equation, just like Greece and Brittain.

Benny bumble

As I have already said I would prefer there were no Turkish troops here. But I don’t see how reducing the number of troops from 40,000 to 650 is asking GC to hand over their security to Turkey, When we will have 850 Greek troops, the national guard and the UN peace keeping force. It is very sad and regrettable that all those people had to loose the lives. What we should be doing is working to make sure that does not happen again. and that both side have to compromise and move away from there so called red lines.

mike nico

I think we do away with troops, Home guard with an equal ratio of each population
would be adequate , What winds me up is this Myth that the TC’s feel their is still a Threat from Gc’s

First of all most GC’s are not your pitch fork farmers of pre 74 and most have experienced multiculturalism so lets dispel this Myth invented by Turkey to have an excuse of a grasp on Cyprus and at the same time put fear in the TC’s

Anatolians and settlers are also to blame, they have no reason having a peace settlement in a one Cyprus, we all know that not all settlers will not be staying if a solution ever came to be so no reason in their eyes to have a solution.

We talk about fear and defense, If you look at after 74, a number of civilians cold bloody murdered, soliders at command posts shot for no reason by Turks, we have constant Threats from Turkey and we have daily intrusions from Turkish aircraft in ROC air space, threatening ROC sea borders and countless others.
so my friend if anyone is justified for defense it would be Gc’s

So you can see why GC’s are angry, the threats have all been from Turkey never once has ROC threaten anyone.

Pc

Back up a little bit. Why would the GC community need to put up with guarantors of their security who instigated a coupe and who occupied their country and drove them from their homes? Once you can defend that, then we can discuss troop numners. GC security matters as much as TC security. And at the moment, there are nice minefields and UN troops between them and us.

Benny bumble

Am not trying to defend anything, all I am trying to say is that its not 1963 or 1974, its 2017 and we have to move on and accept we don’t live in a perfect world, where we all get every thing we want. and I certainly don’t want minefields of any kind.

Pc

I think being able to live in a peaceful country without interference from Turkey or Greece is hardly asking for “everything we want”, but asking for the basic minimum. Given that Turkey continues to want to keep a treaty from the 1950s alive, it is they who need to move into the 21st century.

Fevzi Ogelman

The president of the RoC accusing the special representative of the UNSG of lying……that is very serious. The UN should put the matter straight. It’s a matter of honour.

Ozay Mehmet

Here is my understanding of what happened in the Last Supper:
Turkey accepted 650 troops as in the Treaty of Establishment and termination of Treaty of Guarantee after a Review in 15 yrs (to endure Greeks do not stage another Enosis coup).
Anastasiades responded with Zero Turkish troops on Day One.

HighTide

Most likely this is true. We need UN confirmation to close this issue.

Ozay Mehmet

Unlikely the UN will play Anadtasiades’s game….
He is acting more & more like a Cry Baby….he missed a huge opportunity, not likely to come his way ever again.

phyper1

Why are you people demonizing Anastasiades? He is trying to get the best deal for NOT only the Gc , as your Cavosoglu is for Turkey, but for the whole of Cyprus. You people look somewhere else for your moaning. You keep saying, ‘Nick this, and Nick that’ I could start saying ‘Akinci this and Akinci that’. That does not sort things out. The Gc have real reasons to not agree. Your reasons are only for the interest of Turkey, who are pushing to enter the EU and are using the Tc as a Trojan horse and you don’t see it.

Athenian Owl

The EU is done with Turkey and Turkey with the EU. After Brexit there is no more money for expansion.

Gregos Winston

And the US is also becoming pretty much ‘done’ with Turkey. And when Russia has what it wants from Turkey, Russia will dump Turkey too. Then the Kurds will be ready to make their long awaited move.

Gregos Winston

A huge opportunity for you maybe, it was a vile joke for us. No regrets. Zero troops, zero interventions, otherwise you can remian in isolation forever.

phyper1

Yes 650 Turkish troops, BUT they were not going to leave in 15 yrs. Turkey were asking for the ‘option’ to stay for a further and further period. That means for ever. Which meant a permanent Turkish base in Cyprus. Turkey rejected the ‘sunset’ clause. 40,000 or 650 troops makes no difference.

Sahin

one fact missing here, they’ve asked Turkey to provide a written statment on “Turkey will give up intervention rights, as verbally indicated” – however Mr. Cavusoglu did not provide and changed the tone, that was where the collapse of the “talks” begin.

SOKRATIS

The author did not faithfully report the exact words Mr. Christodoulides said, which is ” that if there are continuing reports that do not correspond to reality, there is no choice but to give publicly the minutes of what was done in Kran Montana.” In other words our government will publicize the transcript of what was said and done. This should not remain as a political maneuver but act on it .The people of the Republic of Cyprus, have a right to know, what they were discussing and agreeing, for the people, in secret, in their absence. This is food for thought.

HighTide

The Greek Cypriot government has no complete record of all the conversations and can only release their own notes that are naturally slanted.

SOKRATIS

And how do you happen to know this Mr. Braveheart number two? Because this was just announced. “The minutes will be published, both our own and theirs, said the President of the Republic Nikos Anastasiades, noting that it is sad that people who are mandated to defend international law to lie publicly in order to justify Turkey”.President Anastasiades spoke at the Kyrenia anti cccupation Protest event at the Tomb of Makedonitissa. This is food for thought.

HighTide

Clever boy you are. Stasi and Eide were not present at all the hundreds of conversations between a host of participants. The South Cyprus government can only release their own minutes that are surely neither complete nor truthful.

Vlora

Very correct.
I repeated it to him so that he may be able to have some clue while hearing from two people:)

SOKRATIS

So you say. The President of the Republic will release both copies of the minutes transcripts.It is very clear what he said. You seem to be prejudiced enough to reject the contents outright as not truthful, only because they were not authorized by Turkey or Ertogan. This is food for thought.

HighTide

There are no transcripts in possession of South Cyprus that correctly reflect all what was said by the various participants. What counts is only the official UN version.

SOKRATIS

As I said above, so you say, Braveheart ! This is food for thought.

HighTide

Rotten food again.

Vlora

Much rotten??

Vlora

There is no food for thought in your comment.You are tired.

Any record from GC community only is not reliable .High Tide is correct in his point of view. Your record, if not vetted/cleared/approved for release by UN after consensus by TC community then it has ZERO validity.

SOKRATIS

The Republic of Cyprus does not need the UN’s approval as we are full members of it. And certainly we do not have to get the consensus of the illegal puppet regime of Turkey that the UN does not recognize. For the UN it is null and void both its regime and its constitution. This is food for thought.

Vlora

Technically incorrect.

HighTide

Your food is rotten. Only the UN as mediator may publish official records of the talks. Everything else is unreliable and questionable.

I’llbeback

And if the UN is biased?

HighTide

Why should it be? Cyprus is one of its 200 members, and not an important one to boot.

Naci Rizaoglu

GC records are as good as Gospel. ALWAYS!!!

gentlegiant161

You seem to forget the Secretary General was present at some of these meetings…you and Stasi accusing him of lying as well ?
He closed the discussions for a reason.
You like many others here were not present at any meetings so you are in no position to Question other spurious comments equally as vacuous as yours.
You know well that the UN who try to remain impartial will not stoop to the gutter level of certain snake oil salesman trying to promote BS as fact for their own personal advancement yet not having a responsible alternative idea to bring to the table ….
This has merely driven both sides further apart.
And nothing good will come out of this …

Vlora

Definitely the minutes of the meeting as prepared by Greek Cypriot community ,during the negotiations can be released any moment as these are with your government. But these minutes are not vetted by UN. These are your internal document. You need to wait UN minutes which must be vetted by UN/GC as well as TC side unanimously.Ask?

EGB

Out of very vague interest, what do you imagine adding ‘this is food for thought’ to every single thing you post actually adds? It’s like the 19th century version of ‘I’ve spoken to a lot of… and they tell me’.

I’llbeback

He added that his main focus now was “where we go from here”.

“She’s got a smile
It seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything
Was as fresh as the bright blue sky
Now and then when I see her face
She takes me away to that special place
And if I’d stare too long
I’d probably break down and cry

Oh, oh, oh
Sweet child o’ mine
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sweet love of mine

She’s got eyes of the bluest skies
As if they thought of rain
I hate to look into those eyes
And see an ounce of pain
Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place
Where as a child I’d hide
And pray for the thunder
And the rain
To quietly pass me by

Oh, oh, oh
Sweet child o’ mine
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sweet love of mine

Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sweet child o’ mine
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sweet love of mine

Oh, oh, oh, oh
Sweet child o’ mine
Oh,
Sweet love of mine

Where do we go?
Where do we go now?
Where do we go?
Oh, oh
Where do we go?
Oh,
Where do we go now?
Where do we go?
Oh, (sweet child)
Where do we go now?
Oh,
Where do we go now?
Oh,
Where do we go?
Oh,
Where do we go now?
Oh,
Where do we go?
Where do we go now?
Where do we go?
Oh,
Where do we go now?
No, no, no, no, no, no
Sweet child,
Sweet child of mine”

Benny bumble

Prez Nik is a coward, as he was more frightend of being branded a traitor by the patriotic front of babydop and co, Than having the guts to go for a settlement. So now he thinks he can get away with blaming everyone else for his failure, the problem he as, is that we can all see through his childish tantrums.

mike nico

And you base all your facts on what? you have insight to the transcripts I take it, you have no foundation on nothing you said, so lets wait for the official transcripts before you start calling people cowards.

Frustrated

We don’t need transcripts. He’s condemned himself out of his own mouth and actions. He’s a disaster area and not fit to run a kiosk.

mike nico

Make you mind up as to what your ranting, one minute you accuse him of being a coward now you change direction, if you dont like him because he never bowed down and appeased Turkey,

Vlora

Eide is clear in his expressions. If a mediator is expressing it,nothing else is needed.

I’llbeback

Keeping cyprus divided is bowing down and doing more than appeasing turkey.

HighTide

Cyprus will always be divided, the only question is in which shape or form.

Frustrated

By stating categorically “NO troops”, Anastasiades ended the conference. No negotiation, no nothing.

Yani

Of course;. Greek officers and National Guard foot soldiers are NO troops.. Is it not?

Vlora

You are incorrect. The President himself has closed all the dorrs ,if not in the negotiations- TODAY.Read the view of Frustrated and read the news above again and again.

Vlora

Exactly.

Naci Rizaoglu

When the chair you sit in is sweeter than the solution you working on, you do not let the chair go. If the chair is gone, then it is gone forever but Cyprus problem can continue to perpetuity..After all who cares. Politicians on both sides love their chairs and will not part with it at all costs…

gentlegiant161

And funnily enough you have no insights either so what’s your foundation ?
You are not here to seek truth you are here to back up equally spurious comments.
The UN secretary General himself was attending meetings so are you accusing him of Lying?
Your new on here,
But you ask the UN to prove itself ? Please on what grounds and why would you believe them anyway you are dedicated to nick so your beyond impartial anyway

Vova Khavkin

Prez Nik is hypersensitive like a teenage girl.

Athenian Owl

This is not a question of personal traits but of unity. All politicians want to be re-elected. So these are not the people who you want in such meetings.

mike nico

should direct you teen problems to Mr Erdogan, he pulls akinci’s strings.

I’llbeback

But he’s the one with the power. Perhaps if the Greek forces hadn’t been ordered to keep in their bases then this problem never would have happened. but sadly that coward Karamanlis and his deputies handed cyprus to Turkey whilst not so great Britain idely watched.

gentlegiant161

Clearly you have now shown the limitations of your own knowledge.
Further comment with you is flawed.

I’llbeback

Clearly you answering me in a very passive aggressive way and probably your knowledge is somwhat limited. What am I wrong about? Erdogan being the one with the power? Or a Karamanlis led Greece handing Cyprus to Turkey? Or/and GB watching idely as it all happened? I am not denying the junta screwing up big time either

gentlegiant161

Apologies the comment was not directed at you,
I thought i was replying to Mike Nico…
In that context it will make more sense to you.

I’llbeback

You thought I was a Mike Nico account lol?

gentlegiant161

Err no I thought i was replying to his comment above yours and others..
A look at my other comments will suffice.

Frustrated

And Kotzias pulls Anastasiades’ strings.

chitchat

And Kotzias does what Putin tells him…

gentlegiant161

And Vlad pulls The Greek Ministers.
The Prime Minister of Greece wouldn’t even attend hoping to disrupt the meeting..another working on the coalface of no reunification .

Brazen

Surely minutes are taken at these meetings? Why not issue them to show what actually went on rather than having the two sides versions as well as guesses from the populace which may be very wide of the mark?

Athenian Owl

I am sure no minutes are taken in these meetings.

Vlora

Having “Minutes of the Meeting” an established practice for all diplomatic discussions and negotiations and is retained in office records.
You are not aware of these protocols then at least don’t open your mouth

Athenian Owl

If you think that minutes exist then where are they? Do you think politicians would ever go to a meeting like this knowing that they would be recorded? It makes no sense.

gentlegiant161

When you were not there then you are not sure. End of

Vlora

Minutes of the meetings are always for the office records. Not for newspapers.UN has issued official statement and this is the established practice. UN has tackled thousands of negotiations.Cyprus is not some special place to go out of the way in diplomatic protocol and release the internal minutes.

Athenian Owl

Here is a thought: Since a final deal has to be approved through a referendum in both part of Cyprus and because the politicians are so afraid of making a mistake and being accused of either incompetence or treason, let’s do this.

Have the common people decide the issue. Let’s have the inhabitants of a few random places on both sides of the island come together, deliberate and don’t leave the room until they have a decision on how to resolve outstanding issues. In other words, trust the common people to cut the gordian not. Then publisize the results and show the rest of us how simple citizens with no particular agenda solved the problem. At such point the public knowing that this is an organic solution might be motivated to do the same in terms of contributing to a final solution.

Select the best solution among the ones given and then hold a referendum. This way the politicos feel much more less presure and are forced to follow the will of the people.

O.k. I know it sounds a bit naive and the structure might be perfected but why not give it a try?

I’llbeback

Problem with the common people is they can also get it wrong a la brexit.

Athenian Owl

But maybe they don’t. It could be that Brexit is the right move given a rapidly fragmenting EU.

gentlegiant161

Fragmenting ? Funny man Both Canada and Japan both signed agreements with EU!
Maybe it is the leaders and former ministers of Greece that are fragmenting

Athenian Owl

Nothing to do with Greece. Just rapid fragmentation. Ask Italy and France about it. What will you do with trade agreements when you are internally collapsing?

gentlegiant161

Silly boy everything to do with Greece and it’s Corruption, and now commie boys Tzippy And Varuflak are at each others throats…..no wonder Oliver Hardy was sent to try and screw it up for your principled position friends .

Caulkhead

The President is making a fool of himself. The only reason he is creating such a stink is that he only ever went to Crans Montana with the intention of playing the blame game. He had no desire whatsoever to reach a settlement. The reason he is now throwing his toys out of the pray that he has been rumbled. If he wants to be seen as being serious about reaching a settlement he would be doing everything he can not to antagonise the UN. At the moment he is behaving like a spoilt brat.

Disenchanted

DYSI will do us a service if the don’t support this charlatan for reelection.

Cydee

Yes he is; but the only ones he’s embarrassing are his own lot, everyone else laughing at him and feeling sorry for the UN advisor Eide.

Athenian Owl

You must remember that reaching a “settlement” is meaningless when a referendum has to ratify it on both sides. Any settlement reached at such meetings can be blown to pieces if the people vote it down. So the question is what is the mandate of the politicians who go to these meetings? My guess is none.

Vlora

It is against the personal agenda of President.If he comes to any sort of compromise, he will lose his elections.

I’llbeback

it gives them all a chance to check their Swiss accounts too.

Barry White

Dear Ella Fitzgerald comes to mind these days with the Cyprob antics in her song that goes like:

”
Things have come to a pretty pass
Our romance is growing flat,
For you like this and the other
While I go for this and that,

Goodness knows what the end will be
Oh I don’t know where I’m at
It looks as if we two will never be one
Something must be done:

You say either and I say either,
You say neither and I say neither
Either, either Neither, neither
Let’s call the whole thing off.

You like potato and I like potahto
You like tomato and I like tomahto
Potato, potahto, Tomato, tomahto.
Let’s call the whole thing off

But oh, if we call the whole thing off
Then we must part…………………. ”

“Let`s call the whole thing off”

Adele

Beautiful Barry.

Cydee

Just been ‘singing-along’ to that 🙂 thanks

I’llbeback

Sing to “Let me fry again” too.

Frustrated

It was never ‘on’ and never will be ‘on’………..

I’llbeback

“Let Me Try Again”

“I know I said that I was leaving,
But I just couldn’t say good-bye.
It was only self-deceiving
To walk away from someone who
Means everything in life to you.
You learn from every lonely day
I’ve learned and I’ve come back to stay.

Let me try again; let me try again.
Think of all we had before,
Let me try once more.
We can have it all, you and I again.
Just forgive me or I’ll die.
Please let me try again.

I was such a fool to doubt you,
To try to go it all alone.
There’s no sense to life without you.
Now all I do is just exist
And think about the chance I’ve missed.
To beg is not an easy task,
But pride is such a foolish mask.

Let me try again; let me try again.
Think of all we had before,
Let me try once more.
We can have it all, you and I again.
Just forgive me or I’ll die.
Please let me try again.”

Athenian Owl

So, the wounded egos of two lovers equate to Cyprus? Wow!

John Aziz Kent Kent

We all Cyprıots GC’s and TC’s HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW ALL THATS BEEN GOİNG ON IN CYPRUS SINCE 1951 UP UN TILL NOW THE
TRUTH AND NOTHING ELSE BUT THE TRUTH MIGHT BRING THE SOLUTION WE ALL NEED AS WE ALL LIVE IN THIS SAME BOAT
PERHAPS ARCHIBİSHOP HRISOSTOMOS CAN COME OUT AND ENLIGHEN US ALL WITH THE TRUTH OF THOSE DISASTEROUS
YEARS THE CHURCH MUST KNOW MORE THAN WHAT WE KNOW
OTHER WISE CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF UN SG ASSISTANT
MR EIDE WILL NOT SOLVE ANY PROBLEMS SAME THING WE HAD WITH MR ALEXANDER DOWNER IN THE NEAR PAST UNDER THIS
CIRCUMSTANCESS MANY TERRIBLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN WHICH
WE DONT ANY OF US WANT THE PROBLEM IS WITHIN CYPRUS TO BE SOLVED BY THE RELEVANT PEOPLE GREECE TURKEY AND CYPRUS

Cydee

Agree with what you say; but you are deafening me…

John Aziz Kent Kent

Dear Cydee and every body else who reads my comments
Iappologıse for some tımes havıng to wrıte ın block letters
The reason ıs my eyes some tımes get very tıred and cannot see unfortunately even the glasses Iwere cannot help for any more vısıon please accept my appologıes my age ıs catchıng up wıth me I am 83 years old and goıng strong

Vlora

With due respect-Mr. Kent, would you like to do a great favor to me .I appreciate Cydee that he did read your comment but for me reading something with capital alphabets becomes a tiresome job.Mercy please:(

John Aziz Kent Kent

I am sorry I have bad eye side

Vlora

I do apologize for annoying you. You ,please, write as per your convenience and I will read them.
My Best Regards,

Yani

As UN general secretary says;.. GReeks should have the first say in the South; …. Turks should have the first say in the North…and the rest bla bla bla bla….

Vlora

One can see a very sad future now.

Caulkhead

He certainly know how to wins friends and influence people at the UN 🙂

alexander reutersward

Eide has a lot of influence and is highly trusted, the two leaders, and the guarantors on the other hand…

Vlora

He has earned his professional respect through his work during all past years. This is extremely unfair ,what is happening with him here.

alexander reutersward

I agree, the number of negotiators since the beginning proofsbthat it’s not the quality of the UN staff that needs to improve

Disenchanted

You need to understand the power of the nationalist propaganda machine in Cyprus, for over fifty years it has been distorting the truth to fit its own nationalist, insular, narrow minded narrative.

Cydee

Quite.

Vlora

Exactly. Such mediators are seasoned diplomats.
I have always been a great fan to Dr.Bernard Kouchner .He has been a role model for many because of his successful diplomatic missions. I am sure, even if he was conducting this negotiations, he would have met the same fat.Rather worse as he is more open often in his genuineness.
It is an extremely unfortunate situation where many are not inclined to think in a mature way.

Cydee

I feel really sad for him, he must have put so much energy into trying to make this work, and now he gets a kick up the backside. Most unfair.

Vlora

It is unfair to both communities too in the long run. Ordinary people on both sides who have suffered a lot need their compensations and their life somehow. It could be done if politicians guided people in a correct way instead of going into such endless fiasco.

I’llbeback

Eide has buerocratic influence which amounts to nothing when dealing with thugs with guns.

Athenian Owl

I don’t think it has anything to do with Eide. These meetings are set up for failure because they use the wrong framework.

HighTide

An interesting question: what would be the right framework?

Vlora

GC framework?

Athenian Owl

I think common people to common people. Let’s them come up with a solution and then put it in a referendum knowing that the solution was created by the electorate itself.

Sahin

But there were some outstanding issues. These discussions were deeply confidential. –

Please, do not afraid to say, “Turkey demanded %x more of the share to transfer the gas to europe, and, eu was not ready to accept this rate. However, if North Cyprus is recognized as a state, Turkey would settle for the nominal,standard date of %y , in exchange of keeping the troops on the island, creating a good – tourism spot for the loyal men as well – So as UN & EU , we will think; can we push Turkey to accept %y while Turkey leaves the island , and if we can not, how we can establish a frame for independent/recognized North Cyprus for the %y share. – So Germany, attack, put “possible sanctions” on the table to test Turkey’s strenght.

Brian Whiffen

The UN should publish full and unedited minutes [not transcripts] of all the meetings in Switzerland, and let the world decide who is trying to ring your bell.. [pull your leg]

HighTide

With certainty there are no minutes or other records of all the talks between the various parties, other then abridged summaries thereafter.

I’llbeback

Now that is a good idea.

Pc

So, Eide leaves. Then a successor needs to be appointed. Early next year we have the presidential elections. So, basically the peace process is on hold until May/June next year.

alexander reutersward

or the UN leaves and let them solve the problem on their own

Pc

That would defeat one of the purposes of the UN. And do you know of one conflict where the UN walked away?

alexander reutersward

but would you define the current status as a conflict?

Pc

Yes, as it is a state of disagreement and there is no peace between the RoC and Turkey. Likewise, I would classify the Cold War as a conflict too.

HighTide

Yes. They walked away in Srebenica.

Pc

No, they didn’t. They created a safe area (albeit an indefensible one) that got overrun by Serbian and Bosnian-Serb forces. And the UN certainly did not walk away from the Bosnian conflict.

HighTide

The court in The Hague has recently ruled the Netherlands partially guilty for allowing thousands to be slaughtered. So much for “not walking away”.
Sitting in New York, condemning crimes, does not provide safety for anyone, currently witnessed in several African states, where thousands are killed in full view of Blue Helmets.

Pc

We can debate the intricaties of Sebrenica and Bosnia at length but I don’t think that applies here. Sebrenica was a failure. But failing is something different than deliberately resigning the job and removing yourself from the scene. Also, Sebrenica is but one event in a long civil war. And in the end, the UN did bring peace to the area. I just took the international community some time to grow a pair and send the tanks in.

HighTide

Wherever there is conflict, peacekeeping forces have more often than not failed in their efforts. Just watch today’s African affairs. Only where there is already peace, as in Cyprus, do they enjoy their stay.

Vlora

UN had failed in Somalia too.

Vlora

True.

Pc

Failing is not the same as walking away.

HighTide

Both is bad enough.

Vlora

Reference your last three sentences. The operation was over-hauled and a transit time took many innocent lives.

Pc

It took the UN time to get to grips with the situation and get it right. But that does not mean they walked away, merely that on several occassions they (partially) failed.

Vlora

you are repeating what is written in HighTide ‘s view and asserted by me

Vlora

UN kept on staring without any action for a very long time there. Technically it is a walk away from the conflict.

Pc

You mean without military action? The UN tried very hard to broker a peace. Unfortunately, Milosevic and his cronies didn’t want to play ball. Again: just because it is not succesfull does not mean you’re walking away.

Mommy-O

Yes, lets have the full transcript of the meeting. Should make for very interesting reading. However, I don’t suppose either party wants that divulged, no matter what they claim.

HighTide

Does not exist. Only Anastasiades and others’ personal records.

Monica

If Eide would only produce a written statement of the negotiations (which he ‘sat in on’) …. Maybe, we would have a better idea on exactly who said what, to whom, about what …within his earshot !
He has no reason to ‘sit on a fence’ …. Just give the general public the facts (Facts are the truth and are impartial …. as he was supposed to be).
At present, there are too many conflicting versions ( and ‘versions’ are ALL they are ) !

Didier Ouzaid

There can ONLY be conflicting versions. First off, the UN will not point the finger at any side and will not choose sides if they plan to keep on supporting the talks. As for the 2 parties, the red lines were such that these were not negotiations from the get-go anyway. Just amicable pleasantries and photos until the sticking points inevitably showed up. Im surprised that they needed this costly Switzerland escapade to realize that.

So, the talks failed because of Turkey’s intransigence (as GC put it) AND because of the the GC’s unwillingness to compromise of guarantees and troops (as TC put it).

Paralimni

I think if Eide is not good enough no one will be good enough, perhaps if Eide goes the UNSG himself should take the job? then lets see if talks fail again Nik will say we think he should resign, LOL

Vlora

Even if Jesus himself comes down as UN mediator in this case, he will fail.

I’llbeback

What if he was accompanied by Mohamed?

Benny bumble

The mad monk Chrys would go even madder .

Paralimni

I fear you are right

Paralimni

Do you know how long that would take to read? I mean they were there for a long tiime

Monica

Not as long as it would take to read Tolstoy’s ‘War & Peace’.
So, it would be worth taking the time.

Spanner Works

It wasn’t worth the time to read “War and Peace”.

Monica

I did not think that would be your genre of choice anyway 😉

Pc

The issue is that if these discussions, which are supposed to be private and confidential, would be published, they would impact the negotiations going forward. If people cannot discuss in confidentiality, they will lock up and not say anything at all.

Monica

Well, according to the ‘Update 1’ above … We do now know one point which ran throughout the talks (A Red-line which had not been defined before). At least that is definitely something which would need to be solved.
Confidentiality has to be balanced with the rights of the general population (After all, the negotiations are supposed to be on behalf of the people).

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